The Magic Combination for Time-Pressed Entrepreneurs: More Money from Fewer Clients
One big reason I’ve chosen to be a B2B copywriter is because it offers us that magic combination that every time-pressed entrepreneur seeks — the ability to make more money serving fewer clients.
Here's what I mean …
Marketing directors in B2B companies need to produce a boatload of marketing materials in order to support their company's sales efforts. But, these marketing folks do not constantly compare the work of one copywriter to that of another. They simply do not have the time.
What that means for you is, impress a few key clients and you'll enjoy a level of client loyalty with each one. You'll spend more time nurturing existing client relationships, taking on work that gets handed to you, and you'll spend less time pounding the proverbial pavement in constant search of new business.
Compare this, for just a second, to writing copy for the major consumer markets like health, financial, and self-help.
There, it's tougher to break in (you'll usually have to beat a control) and tougher to hang on to clients (your control will have to keep beating submissions from world-class copywriters). The moment someone writes a better sales letter, you have to battle to get "back in," or hunt down another gig.
When time is hard enough to come by already, which would you rather do? Spend more time doing paid work for loyal clients, or always be on the hunt for new business?
Have a look at this partial list of the kinds of marketing materials B2B companies hire copywriters to produce:
- Email Marketing Campaigns
- Newsletters and E-newsletters
- Landing Pages
- Websites
- Webinars
- Online Video Ad Scripting
- Case Studies
- Thought Leadership Articles
- Sales Letters
- Direct-Mail Packages
- Sales Presentations
- Brochures & Sales Sheets
Can you see now where the magic happens? For B2B companies, where marketing directors value a relationship with a good copywriter, you can be the go-to writer for most, or all, of these projects.
So, how exactly do you earn the trust of a new B2B copywriting client quickly, and kick open the floodgates for ongoing work? There are a number of ways to do this, but let me show you the most powerful one …
Pete's "Magic" Method for Winning Clients Over Quickly
What I'm about to tell you, I've never publicly shared before.
I really do consider this a trade secret of mine. But, I'm going to share it with you now because I know you're dreaming of a higher income and a better life, and I'd like to show you how you can reach those goals with B2B copywriting, even starting with just a few hours every week.
Let me help by showing you the best technique I know for turning a new prospect into a loyal client with your very first project. This will get you started sooner, and using this technique can lead to a lot more work from just a few clients.
You've seen the list of B2B copywriting projects above. Okay. Now sometimes a new prospect will call you with one of these specific projects in mind, which must get done right away, based on some pressing circumstance. For example, he or she may need a brochure written for an upcoming trade show. However, this is not always the case.
It's been my experience that you'll be talking to a prospect who has a bunch of copywriting projects in mind which need to be produced over the next few months. Exactly which project gets done first, however, is often up for discussion. THAT is your opportunity to win this new client over.
In this scenario, what you say next can set up the entire client relationship for months, maybe even years, to come.
There's one project from the list above which has the highest likelihood of turning you into a star in your client's eyes — and quickly. (Remember, this is the appeal of the B2B market for you … the opportunity to quickly convert new clients into loyal ones, so you spend far less of your precious spare-time continually looking for new business.)
Okay, so what is this one project that can usher you inside your client's "inner circle" faster than any other?
It's the case study.
Write this down:
When dealing with a client for the first time, unless they specify a certain project that must be done first, always suggest that you begin your relationship with a case study.
Quick definition: A case study is a one-to-four page "success story" that explains how Company A helped one of their customers, Company B, achieve specific business results.
So, if Company A sells their accounting software to Company B, and Company B loves it, this constitutes a success story. In this example, Company A would hire you, the copywriter, to write the case study.
Got it? Good. Now, here are three reasons why a case study project works like magic to convert your first-time prospects into loyal clients:
It's not a huge investment for the client. While you can charge a good chunk of change for a case study (around $1,200 to $1,600 for two or three pages), it's really a small investment in the client's eyes. This lets the client ease into a new relationship with you with little risk.
The fact is, it's much easier for a new client to say "Yes" to giving you a case study project, versus immediately handing you a multi-thousand-dollar website overhaul. (That can come later!)
You penetrate the "inner circle" on your very first project. As the writer of a case study, you get ushered right into your client's inner circle — that is, you get invited to interview their customer! It's all part of the assignment. Handle this conversation well and your new client will look upon you as a trustworthy professional. (And, you haven't even written anything yet!)
Case studies make clients happy. When you write a case study, think about what you're writing … a story about why your client's company is so wonderful. It's filled with shouts of praise, straight from the mouth of their customer. Think this goes over well when you hand it in? You bet it does!
Clients absolutely love reading their own case studies for the first time. And, as the writer who captured and presented all these kudos, you benefit from all the warm and fuzzy feelings flying around.
You can see how this type of project is pretty much a fool-proof way for you to score major points in the trust and loyalty department. What's more, it's a big time-saver for you. A case study is not one of those mammoth copywriting projects that takes over your life.
It's a small, well-paying assignment that you can usually chip away at over the course of a week or two, just in your spare-time. Plenty of time to focus and produce something that really knocks your new client's socks off.
And once it's done, you're in my friend. You. Are. IN!
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“That moment when you close your eyes, suck in your breath and say a silent "yes!" happened just recently when I got a royalty check in the mail. That one project has turned out to be quite profitable.”
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THIS WAS A VERY INFORMATION PACKED ARTICLE I THINK IT HELPED ME DECIDE TO BECOME A B2B COPY WRITER, IT SEEMS TO BE PERFECT FOR THE BEGINNING COPY WRITER WITH LESS PRESSURE IN THE BEGINNING SO YOU CAN GAIN CONFIDENSE AT A SLOWER PASE UNTIL YOU BECOME A BETTER WRITER
determined – December 3, 2009 at 1:25 am
This is a great point to remember once I go through the training. You're right, what a wonderful way to make people feel really good about themselves for doing a good job in the first place selling their own product!
jg – March 31, 2010 at 3:56 pm